Orrin c



(No Model.) I

0. 0. HARRIS.

, OAR COUPLING. No 450,015. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

' 70 651,066 es 132 van/To r:

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

ORRIN C. HARRIS, OF LITTLE FALLS, YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES L. PETREE, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,015, dated April 7, 1891. Application filed November 19, 1890. Serial No. 371,931. (No model.)

couplers, and more particularly to an automatic twin-jaw coupler, the object of my invention being to construct a coupler of this class that shall be simple and durable, one that can be uncoupled from either side or top of car, and one in which the draw-heads are so constructed that they serve as buifers and yet efiect the automatic coupling of the jaws; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts, whereby these objects are accomplished, as will be fully described, and designated in the claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this speci-- fication, Figure l is a top plan View of two couplers in coupled position. Fig. 2 is abottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is afront view of my improved coupler, and Fig. 4 isa transverse section taken on line new of Fig. 2.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I employ a draw-bar A, which is arranged beneath the car B, the rear end of said bar being mounted in a longitudinal bracket 0, secured to the under side of the car, coiled springs c 0 being mounted upon said end, both forward and rear of the supporting member of said bracket, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The forward end of the draw-bar rests in a bracket D, said bracket being secured to the under side of the car, and is essentially rectangular in shape, but near one end is formed with a vertical depression 01. The draw-bar A is formed angular or substantially L-shaped in cross-section near its forward end, the horizontal member aof said draw-bar normally resting upon the horizontal member of thebracket D, while the vertical member a always rests in the depression d. The draw-head E may be either integral with or separable from the draw-bar; but in practice I prefer to make them both in one piece. This draw-head consists of a hooked portion 6, essentially semicircular in shape, and a weighted bufier portion F, formed integral with the hooked portion at its junction with the draw-bar A. The forward side of this weighted buffer forms the rear arm of the hook, and said weighted portion extends a considerable distance below the draw-bar, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. The nose of the hook is beveled both forwardly and downwardly, as at e, and said beveled end is provided with a vertical projection, to which a chain c may be attached for operating the coupler from the top of car. The upper end of the weighted buffer most remote from the hook is formed with a lug or car f, and, if desired,a second lug 1, parallel with the lug f, and to the rear of the same, may be formed upon the draw-head. The lugs are perforated, and between the same the inner end of a hand-lever G is secured by means of a pin g passing through said lugs and lever. The free end of the lever extends across the draw-head and beyond the side of the car, resting in a bracket H, secured to the end of the car for that purpose.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the normalposition of my improved coupler, in which the hooked draw-head lies in a horizontal plane, the member a of the draw-bar resting upon the horizontal member of the bracket D and the weighted buffer F depending below the drawhead and draw -bar. When, however, a coupling is to be effected, two cars provided with my couplers are brought together, the beveled noses of the draw-heads impinge against each other, and being beveled forward tend to throw the draw-heads away from the common longitudinal center of the .two couplers, and being beveled downward also have a tendency to give one or both coup lers a partial rotation. These movements raise the buffers direct in front of its opposing nose, and as the cars come together each nose will contact with the bufier of the opposite draw-head. Each draw-bar is thus forced back as far as the springs 0 will permit, and the moment the contact is released the springs and weighted bufferswill bring the draw-headsback to their normal horizontal position and effect an automatic coupling.

To uncouple the car it is only necessary to too pull either hand-lever which rocks the draw bar and head, drawing the hook to one side and out of engagement with the opposite hook. The weighted buffer will return the coupler to its normal position the moment the.

lever is released, and the coupler is again ready to be brought into operation.

I are upward projections on the upper sides of the hooked draw-heads, by means of which a car provided with myimproved coupler may be coupled with a car having an ordinary linkand-pin coupler.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi '1'. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar essentially angular in cross-section, of a bracket adapted to support and hold said draw-barin either a coupled or uncoupled position, and a hook shaped drawhead having a beveled nose, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar substantially L- shaped in crosssection of a bracket having a vertical depression in which one arm of the said L-shaped draw-bar may rest, a draw-head having a beveled nose, a Weighted buffer arranged be- 7 tween the draw-head and draw-bar, and means for operating said draw-bar and draw-head, substantially as shown and described.

. 3. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-bar essentially angular in cross-section, of a bracket having a vertical depression in which one member of said angular draw-bar rests, a draw-headhaving a beveled nose, and a weighted buffer arranged between the draW-head and draw-bar, and a .lever secured to said buffer remote from the 

